On the longer/overnight crossing anyone just stay in there motorhome/caravan instead of going upstairs. Yes I know the rules and how really dangerous it is. Am just wondering if anyone does it. Used to do it in trucks many moons ago and while I don't own a motorhome, if I did I would have no qualms about staying in the hold if it suited me.
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The doors to the car cargo section are locked to prevent pilferage while the owners are away from their vehicles plus health and safety concern. Who on earth would want to stay in their unit for any type of crossing day or night?
With car decks secured there would be no access to lifeboats in the event of an emergency.
Pretty stupid to try and stay although the illegal immigrants who hide in trucks obviously do.
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
To be honest, I have considered it. There have been a couple of occasions when I couldn't get a cabin on an overnight crossing and I find trying to sleep on one of those chairs you can recline slightly, as bad as trying to sleep on a coach or an airplane. I would therefore sleep in my motorhome or caravan. I appreciate the consequences if the worst happened, but the odds are massively in my favour. If the ferry goes down, what are your chances on an inflateable or an overcrowded lifeboat in the Bay of Biscay anyway? You weigh up the odds and do it or you can be a goody goody and do as you are told.
------------- jjg
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I've done more ferry crossings than I'm inclined to count over many decades, both daytime and night crossings - NEVER had an inclination to stay on the vehicle deck any longer than absolutely necessary! Apart from, for me, the very uncomfortable notion of being locked in, and no longer having access to facilities and lifeboats etc., they are usually rather smelly from fuel and exhaust fumes, and simply not a nice environment at all!
PLEASE reassure us that those that would stay on vehicle deck would not also contemplate using gas appliances - fridge, cooker, heating (maybe a diesel heater in a MH!) etc. during the crossing (you appear to have a slightly cavalier attitude to safety and rules, so it seems far from unlikely!)!!!!!! - that would just be reckless, and endanger the entire ship and all passengers! It's a long crossing to be denied all hot refreshments, and even some comfortable warmth!
I've been unfortunate enough to be condemned to the couch lounge when no cabins available, and I just refuse to spend the night there these days, I go find a bench in the bar or one of the many seating areas, and lay out there, much quieter (once the bars have closed and dawdling drinkers moved on), and MUCH more comfortable to sleep in any position you like on the comfortable benches, tip is to take something to use as a pillow, a rolled up jacket, hand bag or backpack suffices perfectly well if it's not full of hard angular objects! Certainly had much better and really quite decent nights sleep like that rather than the abysmal couch lounge which seem impossible to sleep in!
Sometimes being a 'goody goody, and obeying rules' brings benefits, unless petty rebellion rocks your boat above ALL else! Everyone to their own and all that, but know where I'd rather be.
Reminds me of the first year that P&O sacked half their staff, we were coming back from France and they put us on an earlier ferry (good news), we basically cut through all of the lanes at Calais as they were waving us on, the ferry was getting ready to sail.
We drove onto the ferry and they closed the bow doors behind us, we were getting our young daughter out the car and noticed them closing the doors to the upper decks, we actually started sailing just before we got up the stairs, the upper decks doors were also being locked before we got up their, if we hadn't shouted at them, the ship would have sailed with us still in the car deck.
The ships company were all "new staff" they were really pleasant but didn't seem to have a clue.
I'm sure it's better now but we have sailed Brittany Ferries from Poole since then.
After “the Herald of Free Enterprise” disaster, my understanding is that it became illegal to sleep in lorry cabs / vehicles. Even if that’s not the case, the noise of all the motion-activated car alarms going off is anything but restful. And with the current situation of refugees getting into MHs while people are briefly away shopping etc (just going by some posts on UKCS where this has happened), it would be interesting to come face to face with one when you open your toilet door to use the loo (as there aren’t any in the vehicle hold).
In short, the OP’s suggestion has no appeal for me for a number of reasons.
Quote: Originally posted by General Grabber on 11/2/2024
On the longer/overnight crossing anyone just stay in there motorhome/caravan instead of going upstairs. Yes I know the rules and how really dangerous it is. Am just wondering if anyone does it. Used to do it in trucks many moons ago and while I don't own a motorhome, if I did I would have no qualms about staying in the hold if it suited me.
Why would you go against the rules of the ferry company ?
Or is it that you are trying to avoid paying for an overnight cabin
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"You weigh up the odds and do it or you can be a goody goody and do as you are told."
As comments go, this has given me a good laugh-for all the wrong reasons.
On a related note we took an early hours ferry from Dover. Got to Dunkirk about 3am. There was a motorhome curtains drawn luckily not in my lane still fast asleep while everybody was trying to drive off. As I drove off crew was banging on side of motorhome trying to wake them up.
Quote: Originally posted by allanguest on 24/2/2024
"You weigh up the odds and do it or you can be a goody goody and do as you are told."
As comments go, this has given me a good laugh-for all the wrong reasons.
What a stupid thing to do. I can't get it in my head why anyone would want to do it. As soon as lm parked on ferry it's straight upto the food area for a fry up.
We were stationed in Germany before the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster.In fact had used that ferry on odd trip home.
As far as I can remember you had to leave the car decks. It did sail out with the bow doors not closed. Not done now of course.
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
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Topic: Stay in motorhome while on ferry.
via mobile 11/2/2024 at 3:55pm
